Permanent residents of 110 mountain communities will receive an economic boost this autumn after cabinet approved a special support scheme.

The grant totals more than €5m and covers about 20,000 people, Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides said after a meeting on Wednesday with the Union of Cypriot Communities.

He described the aid as “significant” which with other measures discussed with the Union will help residents remain in the mountain communities and stem depopulation.

Union of Cypriot Communities president Andreas Kitromilides expressed satisfaction that the aid, which was last paid out in 2010, was being restored.

In an official announcement, the Interior Ministry said all Cypriot and other EU-member state citizens living in a community 600 metres above sea level who can prove they have lived there throughout the year for the past two years are eligible.

The following are NOT eligible:

(a) non-EU citizens even if they are permanent residents in the community

(b) foreign house help (EU or third country nationals) who live in the house of an applicant

(c) monasteries, monks and nuns

(d) individuals who have holiday homes in communities covered by the scheme

The financial aid will be paid within the year and will be transferred to the applicant’s bank account.

It will be calculated as follows:

For every household/ housing unit depending on the altitude:

(a) €175 (600-800 metres)

(b) €225 (801-1000 metres)

(c) €260 (1000 metres and over)

In addition

– for every pensioner €85

– for every non-pensioner €165

(A pensioner is defined as someone who is 65 years old or over)

Applicationprocess

The financial aid will be paid conditional on the head of the household submitting an application on the Interior Ministry’s special form (Υ.Ε.(Τ.Α.)01). Only one application can be submitted per household/housing unit.

Applications must be properly filled in, signed by the applicant and accompanied by all the required certificates/documents listed on the application form, the ministry said.

District office officers retain the right to request additional certificates or other information they deem necessary to review the application.

Any person submitting a fraudulent application or giving false information is guilty of an offence.

Applications can be submitted only to the district officers or the citizens’ service bureau at Pelendri from May 2 to 31.

Any applications submitted by hand or with a postal stamp after that date will not be accepted.

Application forms

Application forms are available from the Interior Ministry, district officers, the citizens’ services bureau at Pelendri and the Union of Cyprus Communities.

Further information is available on the following telephone numbers:

(a) Interior Ministry: 22867600

(b) District offices:

Nicosia: 22804100

Limassol: 25806400

Larnaca 24801862/ 24801867

Paphos: 26801200

(c) Citizens services bureau at Pelendri : 25813400

(d) Union of Cyprus Communities: 22672576

Information on the scehem as well as the applications for the financial aid are available on the Interior Ministry’s website: www.moi.gov.cy

Payment of financial aid

On completion of the examination of the applications, the financial aid is expected to be paid in September-October 2019.